Dispensing device



7 March '16, 1937. 'Db NEL; 2,074,269

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1934 EILEHE;

- I NVENTOR. CORNELIUS O DONNELL ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITEDSTATES DISPENSING DEVICE Cornelius ODonnell, San Jose, Califl, assignorof forty-nine per cent to Charles A. Hutchings,

San Jose, Calif.

Application June 19, 1934, Serial No. 731,342

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in straw dispensers and hasparticular reference to a sanitary device for dispensing drinking strawssuch as commonly used in restaurants, soda fountains and like places.

A further object is to produce a device wherein the straws may befumigated with a mild, pleasant, antiseptic deodorant.

A still further object is to produce a device which will dispense but asingle straw at a time and one which will eliminate the necessity of thepatrons handling the straws.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device with a portion thereof brokenaway,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail cross sectional view on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

It is customary in soda fountains and like places to place straws in anopen receptacle from which each person takes a straw, the result beingthat these straws are often handled by many persons before the userplaces the same in the mouth. Applicant has, therefore, devised a simplecontainer wherein a quantity of straws are placed, and has furtherprovided means for disinfecting the same.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 5 and 6designate end plates between which are positioned plates 1 and 8. Theseplates 1 and 8, together with the end plates form a hopper in which thestraws 9 are placed. Aremovable cover II is positioned upon the hopperand is removed through the medium of a handle l2. The hopper thus formedhas an opening l3 through which the straws are dispensed to a roller 14having a depression l6 a sufiicient size to receive one of the straws.which communicate with a receptacle formed within the roller in which adisinfectant absorbing material l8 is'positioned. A pair of arms I9 areadapted to receive the straws as they are dispensed. In order to actuatethe roller, finger pieces or levers 2| are attached to the opposite endsof the roller shaft and a counter balance is employed to return theroller to its normal position, ready to pick up a straw. To limit theThis depression has openings l1 angle of rotation of the roller H, apair of spaced shoulders are provided on the lower end of each of saidlevers,'which shoulders are adapted to engage a stop-pin fixed in theplates 5 and 6.

As a result of this construction it is apparent 5 that when the hopperis filled with straws and the roller is rotated, one straw at a timewill be dispensed to the arms l9 from which point the user may pick upsaid straw, and that the disinfectant will gradually permeate the airwithin 10 the hopper and thus disinfect the straws therein.

The body of the roller, it will be noted, consists of two differentmaterials, namely, a disinfectant consisting of a fibrous material thatconstitutes the upper half of the body of the roller and a metallicportion that comprises the lower half thereof. Since the upper portionof the roller contains fibrous material which is lighter than themetallic portion, it will be obvious that a counter balanced effect isprovided. Accordingly, the pocket I6 will always be normally in aposition to receive the straws, one at a time from the hopper, prior to'the dispensing action of the device.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape, and arrangementof parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:--

A dispensing device of the class described, comprising a casingincluding a hopper having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, aroller member positioned directly beneath said hopper opening andcarried by said casing, said roller member being constituted ofadisinfectant holding material positioned in the upper portion thereofand a heavier material positioned in the lower section thereof, anapertured pocket extending lengthwise of said roller and projecting intothe upper section thereof and capable of receiving a single straw at atime from the hopper, said pocket being arranged in axial alignment withthe hopper discharge opening and the aperture permitting medication of astraw in the roller pocket, shouldered levers arranged at opposite endsof said roller to cause the actuation thereof, and stop pins carried bysaid casing and cooperating with the shouldered sections of said leversto limit the rotary motion of said roller.

CORNELIUS ODONNELL.

